2:45: The President participates in an Ambassador Credentialing Ceremony, a traditional ceremony that marks the formal beginning of an Ambassador’s service in Washington

3:30: The President and Vice President meet with Secretary of Defense Hagel

* The President conducts an interview with Jose Diaz-Balart of Telemundo to discuss his plan for a Better Bargain for the Middle Class and the need for immigration reform

Excerpts of the interview will be broadcast on “Noticiero Telemundo” today at 6:30pm/5:30 central. The interview will also air in its entirety on “Enfoque con José Díaz-Balart” on Sunday, September 22 at 12pm/11am central, and will be available on Telemundo.com and on the Facebook page of “Noticiero Telemundo.”

…. details are leaking out about Alexis and they point to a disturbing history of gun violence …. Under federal law, it’s very likely that he was still able to legally posses a firearm. Permanent bans on gun ownership are only handed out to very specific groups of people including felons, domestic abusers, and the seriously mentally ill …. in nearly half of states, officials are still able to give a handgun permit to someone with a history like Alexis’s.

If reports from the scene are right, however, Alexis’s gun possession Monday was illegal no matter his gun history. News outlets indicate that Alexis had as many as three weapons, including a semi-automatic AR15. The AR15 is banned in DC.

…. One of the gun regulations President Obama proposed earlier this year would outlaw the sale of AR15s and other military-grade weapons.

Bob Cesca: Another Gun Massacre and Another Powerful Reason for Stronger Gun Control Laws

At approximately 8 a.m. eastern time on Monday, a man named Aaron Alexis, a former reservist with the U.S. Navy, entered the Naval Sea Systems Command office building at the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. and opened fire, killing 12 people and wounding 10 others. The gunman used a shotgun, a handgun and an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle to rain bullets into a crowd of people before eventually being shot and killed by police.

At 2:15 p.m., six hours after the massacre, Rep. Steve Stockman (R-TX) tweeted the following sentiment to his followers: “Remember to keep praying for those affected by both the Navy Yard shootings and the Colorado floods.”

A noble gesture — that is if you ignore the irony that the congressman is a vocal climate crisis denier, as well as one of the NRA’s most valuable allies inside the House of Representatives with a creepy obsession with AR-15 assault rifles, say nothing of being one of the only internet trolls serving as a member of Congress.

This seems like a particularly good day to be ignoring the work of academics, doesn’t it?

Conclusions. We observed a robust correlation between higher levels of gun ownership and higher firearm homicide rates. Although we could not determine causation, we found that states with higher rates of gun ownership had disproportionately large numbers of deaths from firearm-related homicides.

…. The results of the study may seem little more than an exercise in confirming the obvious, but that’s an exercise the country needs. It needs to have the obvious – guns kill people, health-insurance helps keep them alive, large banks are all thieves, economic oligarchy is incompatible with political democracy, Fk The Deficit….

After two Democratic state senators were defeated in Colorado recall elections last week, there was some speculation that proponents of gun-safety would begin to retreat, backing away from efforts to reduce gun violence.

After a dozen people were gunned down yesterday at the Navy Yard in D.C., there was ample evidence to the contrary.

President Obama briefly addressed the issue at the start of his speech on the economy, arguing that policymakers must “do everything that we can to try to prevent” these mass shootings. Like-minded lawmakers followed suit.

ThinkProgress: Under Obamacare, Millions Of Americans Will Pay Less Than $100 Per Month For Health Insurance

About 6.4 million Americans will be able to purchase insurance for less than $100 each month on Obamacare’s new state-level marketplaces, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services. That’s because those people will be eligible for federal subsidies that will reduce the price of purchasing a plan under the health reform law.

The Obama administration calculated the expected premiums for people buying “silver” plans, which are the second-cheapest option on the new insurance marketplaces. Even though not every marketplace has announced its premium rates yet, researchers were still able to estimate those payments based on the health law’s rule for determining subsidies.

Health insurance for most young adults on New York and California’s Obamacare health exchanges will cost dramatically less than what twentysomethings have said they’d be willing to spend on insurance, a new analysis finds.

The attractive prices could significantly boost enrollment in those states’ exchanges and help keep premiums low for people of all ages, said Christina LaMontagne, vice president of price-comparison site NerdWallet, which did the analysis.

Jonathan Cohn: …. the biggest news on Monday wasn’t about Obamacare’s poll numbers. It was about Obamacare’s reach. And there the news was much clearly better. In Michigan, Republican Governor Rick Snyder signed a bill that will expand the state’s Medicaid program, as Obamacare envisions. The signing was the culmination of a long, difficult effort by Synder and a bipartisan, statewide-coalition to overcome Tea Party resistance….

…. Greg Sargent got Pew to give him a breakdown of exactly which voters oppose the law so much they want officials to make it fail: Sure enough, it’s Tea Party Republicans. As Greg notes, this voting bloc is highly influential within Republican Party politics, particularly as primary voters: That goes a long way to explaining why congressional Republicans are threatening to shut down the government or allow default if Obama won’t agree to delay or defund the law.

But support for such extreme positions doesn’t extend much outside this group. Meanwhile, it turns out that many people opposed to (or at least ambivalent about) the law simply don’t know much about it….

President Barack Obama on Monday cleared the way for the U.S. to send chemical weapons-related assistance to the Syrian opposition, as well as international organizations working inside the war-torn Middle Eastern country.

…. The White House said the non-lethal assistance could fall into three categories:

– Chemical weapons-related “personal protective” equipment to international organizations working in Syria, including the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

– Medical assistance to strengthen local Syrian health care providers’ ability to prepare for and respond to the use of chemical weapons

– Defensive chemical weapons training and protective equipment to vetted members of the Syrian opposition to protect against the use of deadly gases..

Spandan (The People’s View): Obama on GOP’s Economic Hostage Taking: Don’t Even Think About It

The president spoke [yesterday] on the economy and the upcoming budget battles in Congress. Marking the fifth anniversary of the economic crash of 2008, President Obama spoke of the hard work he and his administration has done to pull the economy back from the brink of another Great Depression – from a rescue of the financial sector to the revival of the American auto industry, restoring confidence in the banking system and creating nearly 7.5 million jobs in the last three-and-a-half years. But he commanded the stage with a serious, “you’re pissing me off” look on his face and one clear, unequivocal message: The President does not negotiate with economic terrorists.

First came the “supercommittee,” tasked in 2011 with finding a bipartisan deficit reduction plan but doomed to fail. Then came the “McConnell plan,” a way for Congress to raise the government’s debt limit without actually voting to do so. And in January there was “no budget, no pay,” a measure coupled with the last debt ceiling increase to deny paychecks to lawmakers if they did not pass a budget…..

For three years, Congressional leaders have relied on tactical maneuvers, sleights of hand and sheer gimmickry to move the nation from one fiscal crisis to the next — with little strategy to deal with the actual problems at hand….

President Obama joined the fray Monday, castigating Republicans for the latest budget crisis but “hoping that a light bulb goes off.”

…. Since taking control of the House of Representatives in 2011, a coterie of Republicans has challenged this informal approach. Their belief is that the absence of cooperation should lead not to stalemate but to the president bending to their will. That assumption implies a delegitimization of the presidency that Obama has come to understand, belatedly, that he can’t accept.

The Republican Establishment is trying to coax the crisis-mongers out of their fervor. Today The Wall Street Journal editorial page assails Republicans who insist on shutting down the government unless President Obama agrees to destroy his own health-care reform, a fantastical demand. “Kamikaze missions rarely turn out well, least of all for the pilots,” the Journal warns.

…. Establishment Republicans are trying to talk their base out of extreme measures without addressing their deeper belief that House Republicans are entitled to extract concessions from the president, via threat, without compromising at all.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and his Republican allies in the state legislature launched an aggressive legislative campaign against reproductive rights over the summer, including measures intended to close the vast majority of clinics where reproductive services are provided.

Proponents of the policies said the measures were necessary in order to protect public safety. Becca Aaronson reports in the Texas Tribune this week that the arguments are plainly contradicted by the facts…..

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama console Paul and Janet Monti, parents of Army Sgt. 1st. Class Jared C. Monti in the Blue Room following a Medal of Honor ceremony in the East Room of the White House on Sept. 17, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

A young boy listens to President Barack Obama as he delivers remarks at a rally on health insurance reform at the Comcast Center, University of Maryland in College Park, Md., on Sept. 17, 2009 (Photo by Pete Souza)

Good morning all TODbots! It is beautiful fall morning here in Montana. I sat out on my deck and had a wonderful meditation. Now it is time to face the day. All this gun news is so sicking and all my friends in Colorado. I am so thankful we have the President we do. Now we have to get rid of the GOP Taliban. #Forward.

You know what’s gotta hurt more? This: the president reiterating his already crystal clear stand that he will not be part of the temper tantrum thrown by the fringe Right.

But in case there’s any confusion, I will not negotiate over whether or not America keeps its word and meets its obligations. I will not negotiate over the full faith and credit of the United States. This country has worked too hard for too long to dig out of a crisis just to see their elected representatives here in Washington purposely cause another crisis.

Really like your reference to “1984” and how instead of government run propaganda we have corporate sponsored propaganda. Very true. Thankfully more and more people are tuning out the MSM and the propaganda’s effectiveness is getting weaker and weaker.

The M Street Corridor is rather somber this morning. They are trying to get back to “normal” but it will take a while. The media vultures are out in full force again today. They have practically taken over our parking lot. We all decided yesterday before we left that we would not let them take advantage of our stress and concern. So this morning when they were running up to us sticking those damn mics in our faces to get their “human interests” stories everyone of us refused to be interviewed. I couldn’t be prouder of my fellow co-workers.

Donna, you’re terrific, and we hope the media frenzy dies down quickly. They should be sticking their damn microphones in the faces of Congressman opposed to sensible guns laws and demand to know why they are so anti-life!

With events happening on the foreign front that are beyond the DC echo-chamber’s grasp, they are ignoring facts (a clear majority agree with the President) to trumpet how everything that happens is “Obama’s fault.” (See my post upthread.)

It seems to me that they won’t be able to cling to this narrative for much longer without being completely ignored as irrelevant.

I read about the verified users the other day. Anyone you see with a “blue” check next to their name is a “verified” user. These people are the so-called elite. TV personalities, politicians and entertainers. 50,000 is a drop in a bucket compared to the millions on Tweeter. So Twitter has set of system where the rich “meet and greet”. The rest of us are just peons.

Mornin’! So glad you’re still adding. I was so late to “rise and shine” that it’s almost time for “nap and drool.” Although that wasn’t a pretty picture, so I’ll take back the drool part. Who drools during a nap? Not I! Move along; nothing to see here.

Never mind, little missy. And if I had one of those northbound arrow graphics, I’d use it in this reply with a “BANNED” notice right back atcha … which still makes me laugh every time I see ya use it! #CheapDate

p.s. The picture of the white house? Wow…wow…wow…I still get choked up when I think of Pres. Obama, FLOTUS and the rest of the family occupying that building built with blood, sweat, and tears by people who looked like them.

I wrote it because of your comment! It’s for you and all the young people in our country who are carrying the torch for the rest of us. As my own mother used to say (which seemed too simplistic and meant nothing when I was younger), “You’ve got to keep going.”

I love Angry Black Lady’s response to Ezra Klein’s BS about Larry Summers. Now I see that Time Wise is following-up Klein’s garbage with some crap about “liberal-populist coalition” including “women’s groups” being responsible for Summers’ withdrawal.

Well excuse me, with all the serious problems we have going on, including the GOP’s waging prolonged assault on women’s rights, blocking PBO’s jobs/infrastructure bill, blocking sensible gun control laws and just about every other “Good” sensible legislation that 90% of the American people support, these same damn “coalitions” can’t get the GOP to budge on these “populist” agendas, yet they can topple Summers’ nomination and prevent PBO from nominating who the hell he wants for the FED? With all due respect, Mr. Wise. I believe otherwise. So spare us all, please.

Didn’t notice until late yesterday that you posted my tweet with photo from the website banned from TOD that accompanied the poll of Americans who agreed with the President’s speech a week ago today (also posted upthread here).

Thanks Arapaho…As much as I appreciate your recognition and would LOVE to take the credit, this is not really of my doing. I wasn’t the one who tweeted it in the first place (you were), and I’m not the one pictured in the tweet (PBO is) !!! 🙂 🙂 🙂

The conservative editorial page of The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday called on Republican “backbenchers” in the House of Representatives to abandon their pipe dream of defunding or delaying Obamacare.

While it seems obvious that President Barack Obama will not sign a continuing resolution that guts his signature legislative achievement, leaders of the defunding movement like Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Heritage Foundation president Jim DeMint have assured their supporters that they aren’t chasing a quixotic goal. That pursuit is raising the risk of a government shutdown, and the Journal made a point to emphasize the dim likelihood that Obama would ever sign such a bill.

This is evidence that the Wall Street folks are tired of the Tea Party and their bullshit. When the rich folks talk, the GOP listens. This is why I have never waivered in my belief that the GOP will “blink” when it comes to defaulting on the gov’t debt. THe Tea Party will continue to fundraise off of their madness, but it will be alot of noise signifiying nothing. GOP leadership also knows that a gov’t shutdown will hand the House over to the dems in 2016. Please proceed GOP.

Craig Melvin blatantly lied about an interview he did with one of the employees yesterday . During the interview he asked if people were screaming after the shots were fired and the man told him NO…he did not hear anyone yelling or screaming.

Then ( I think on Martin’s show ) when he was asked he said that the man told him they were screaming.

Her brain tells her who signs her paycheck, and that person/corporation instructed her to peddle anti-PBO diatribes, truth be damned. This is why I put very little stock in what pundits or other media personalities have to say. They are all bought and paid for propagandists.

Excerpts of the interview, to be conducted by news anchor José Díaz-Balart, will be broadcast on “Noticiero Telemundo” on Tuesday, September 17 at 6:30pm/5:30 central. The interview, expected to focus on Immigration Reform, the Affordable Care Act, the latest on the Syrian crisis and other subjects of interest to the Hispanic community, will also air in its entirety on “Enfoque con José Díaz-Balart” on Sunday, September 22 at 12pm/11am central, and will be available on Telemundo.com and on the Facebook page of “Noticiero Telemundo.”

Good Morning Chips and TOD family. Thanks so much Chips for all of the beautiful work you do for us here. ((((Loving hugs for you)))))). I am always grateful for this space.

Prayers and meditation time spent for wisdom and protection for our wonderful president. May grace, courage, compassion, and continued focus steady his steps today.

If some of the greatest teachers in the world gave all of us an assignment today; I would hope it would be to gather all of the goodness of this president’s actions and wrap them in a lovely box and place that box on the lowest shelf of your bookcase so when others start throwing their ugly arrows at him, you will carefully un wrap your box and throw gracefully from your ‘goodness box’ and cancel out the ugly arrows. Cancelling out all of the old tiredness of bashing this president has to start with those who have his back and support him most.

Have a lovely day, everyone in my TOD family and the families of our nation. Pray for the families who lost a dear one yesterday. And pray for a Mighty change in the hearts and souls of the men and women in Congress. A change has to happen for the better in that body of people.

Be kind to your space, be gentle on your souls, and be loving to your love ones. Grace your steps with honor and trust today. Those two companions will always be ready to accompany you on this journey. Stop by and pick up some ingredients to go along with your honor and trust today. ((((( Love my TOD family.)))))) ((((((Pray for our President and VP)))))))))HZ

If liberals really wanted a President who would reform our foreign policy and walk back our addiction to hegemony, short of engendering global chaos, this is what its going to look like. That the neocons are worried about this kind of process indicating a “weakness” in foreign policy should tell us something. If we are going to actually work in partnership with the rest of the world rather than assume dominance, things are going to get messy. Then-Senator Barack Obama warned us about that way back in 2005.

The bottom line is that our job is harder than the conservatives’ job. After all, it’s easy to articulate a belligerent foreign policy based solely on unilateral military action, a policy that sounds tough and acts dumb; it’s harder to craft a foreign policy that’s tough and smart…But that’s our job.